Controller for electric motors.



No. 883,078. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

, T. E. BARNUM.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1904, RENEWED FEB. 21, 1906.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

No. 883,078. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

' T. E. BARNUM.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS. APPLICATION FILED HA3. 2, 1904; RENEWED FEB. 21, 1906.

4s113ms-snnm 2.

mumllllm.

%? 5&4, y W EMW? IIIIIIIIIIIIII PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

I No. 883,078.

. T. E. BARNUM. CONTROLLER FORBLEOTRIG MOTORS. APPLICATION FILED KAI. B, 1904. RENEWED FEB. 21, 1908' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. I T. E. BARNUM.

. CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS. APPLIOATIQN rmzn nn. 2, 1904. 321mm FEB. 21, 19 08.

4 SHEETB-SHEET 4.

' UNITED STATES Parana? OFFICE.

THOMAS E. BARNUM, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMER MFG. CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

No. 883,078. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented March 24, 1908 Application filed larch 2, 1904, Serial No. 196,188. Renewed February 21,1906. Serial No. 802,269.

I To all whom it meg/concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. BARNUM, citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Controllers for Electric Motors ,of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact (lBSCIIPtlOII. reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a art of this speci cation.

My invention re ates to a controller for electric motors and preferably to such devices used in connection with electric motors for operating valves, my object being to provide a controller for electric motors, whereby the direction in which the motor is run may be controlled and the motor automatically stopped a predetermined number of times throughout its range of operation.

A further objectof my invention is to provide a controller for a valve operating motor by which it is impossible for the operator,

1 either unintentionally or otherwise, toopen the valve more than a predetermined portion of its total 0 ening at any one operation. To accomplish t is object I provide means whereby, when the operating motor is i started, it moves for a certain specified time and then automatically stops, it being then 30 necessary for the operator to again start the motor in order to open the valve further. I also provide means for reversing the direction in which the motor is adapted to run.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures,.=Figure 1 is an-elevation showing a solenoid switch" for controlling the motor circuit, an indicating lever controlling the solenoid switch and a reversing switch; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the means for automatically stoppin the motor, showing the valve in section; l ig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit arrangement; and, Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View of the circuit arrangement for a modification.

In the construction which I have worked out as the preferable form of my invention, I provide a valve which may be of any construction, but in the resent instance is shown as having 21. b0( y 2, in which are i the body is a valve cover 5 carrying at its upper end a stuffing box 6, through which is adapted to operate the valve stem 7 threaded at its lower end, into the carrier 4. At the upper end of the valve stem and operating in the stuffing box 6 is formed a shoulder 8, which bears on one side against the valve bod and on the other side against the stuffing ox, thereby preventin the valve stem from moving laterally. pon the upper end of the valve stem is keyed a worm wheel 9 adapted to be rotated by a worm gear 10, secured'upon the shaft of the motor. The valve stem 7 is connected at its upper end b a coupling 11 to a threaded commutator shaft 12, journaledQin the bearings 13 and 13, suitably mounted upon the commutator 14. A cross head 15 is threaded on the commutator shaft and car-- ries brushes 16 and 17 electrically connected to each other, and brushes 18 and 19 also electrically connected to each other but insulated from the brushes 16 and 17. The

brushes 16 and 17 are adapted topass over and make contact withthe contact bars 20 and 21, respectively, and the brushes 18 and 19 are ada ted to pass over and make contact with t e contact bar 22, and the series ofcontact buttons 23, 24, 25, and 26 mounted upon the-commutator 14..

A solenoid switch 27 is adapted to control the motor circuit and is provided with a bridgin contact 28 to connect together the termina s 29 and- 30. The solenoid of this switch is also connected preferably by an insulatin connecting link 31 with the ivoted pawl 32, having a catch 33 adapts to engage notches 34 on a segmental extension 35 of a pivoted operating lever 36 which lever also serves to indicate the position of the valve and will therefore hereafter be design'ated as the indicating lever. The lever 36 is provided with a brush adapted to sweep over and make contact with the contact buttons 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41. This series of buttons are so spaced that the brush on the indicating lever will have to pass freely oil of one button before making connection with the next, so that under no circumstances will it be possible for the brush to brid e from one live button to the next. A doub e throw knife switch having blades 42 and 43 and ter minals 44, 45, 46, 47,48, 49, 50, 51., 52 and 53, is mounted upon the same board as the minal 30 of the solenoid switch is connected one quarter of its travel.

by the conductor 60 with one terminal of the field winding of the motor, the opposite terminal or" which is connected by conductor 61, with the terminal 44 of the double throw switch lever. The terminal 44 is connected by conductor 62 with the terminal 47 of the switch lever. One brush of the armature of the motor is connected by conductor 63 with the terminal 46 of the switch lever, and the opposite brush is connected by conductor 64 with the terminal 45 of the switch lever. The terminal 45 is cross connected by conductor 65 with the terminal 50 and the terminal 46 is cross connected by the conductor 66 with the terminal 51. The terminal 53 of the switch, lever is connected by conductor 67 with the terminal 48 and this terminal in turn is connected with the opposite side 55 of the main line. The contact button 37 is connected by conductor 68 with the contact bar 21, and the contact buttons 38, 39, 40 and 41 are respectively connected by conductors 69, 70, 71 and 72, with the contact buttons 23, 24, 25, and 26 of the valve commutator. The contact bars 20 and 22 of the valve commutator are connected respectively by conductors 7 3 and 74 with the terminals 52 and 49 of the double throw knife switch. By this arrangement of circuits, the operator cannot open the valve more than one quarter of its travel at a time, and cannot start the valve motor in the same direction to open the valve further until the motor has stopped after movin the valve It is possible, however, to close the valve from any position to the fullclosed position in one continuous motion. The connections of the motor are so arranged that when the double knife switch is thrown up the motor will rotate so as to open the valve and when the double throw knife switch is thrown down, the motor armature connections will be 'reversed, so that the motor will rotate to close the valve.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Assuming the valve in the closed position, as would be indicated by the commutator cross head resting on the contact button 23 and the" indicating lever 36 being on the button 37, if the operator desires to open the valve the knife switch is thrown up and the indicating lever 36 is moved to the button 381 When the brush on the indicating lever makes contact with the button 38, the circuit through the solenoid winding is closed and the current will flow from the main 54, to the terminal 29, of the solenoid switch, through the conductor 57 through the windings of the solenoid across the lamp switch 58, through conductor 59 to the indicating lever 36. From this point the current flows through the indicating lever to the button 38, through the conductor 69, to the button 23 on the valve commutator, from thence through the brushes 18 and 19 to the contact bar 22, through the conductor 74 to the terminal 49 of the knife switch through the knife switch blade to terminal 48 and thence to the opposite side 55 of the mains. The windin of the solenoid switch is thus energized, c osing the cir-' cuit to the series motor in such a way that the motor will rotate to open the valve. Current for the motor will flow from the main-54 to terminal 29, across the bridge 28 to terminal 30, through conductor 60, through field winding of the motor, through conductor 61 to terminal 44 of the knife switch, through conductor 62 to the terminal 47 of the knife switch, across the knife switch blade to terminal 46, through conductor 63, through the motor armature and conductor 64, to terminal 45 of the knife switch, from thence through conductor 65 to terminal 50 of the knife switch, and across the blade of the knife switch to terminal 48, thence to the op osite side 55 of the main line. The circult thus closed, the motor will operate to open the valve and by means of the threaded shaft 12 of the commutator, the cross head of the'same would be moved in a straight line over the contact buttons. As soon as the commutator cross head has moved so that the brush 19 of the same leaves the contact button 23', the circuit of the solenoid switch will be open and the solenoid switch will 34 a so insure the movement of the lever to its proper position on the button, as the switch will not close unless the point 33 of the pawl is in a position to drop down into the notch. When the solenoid switch is open, the indicating lever is not locked, so that it is possible to move the same to the next button provided it is desired to 0 en the valve another one'quarter travel. 0 open the valve fully, the cycle of o erations would have to be gone through for t e succeeding buttons 3 9,

40,- and-41, one after the other, the operator alwais being obliged .to allow the motor to stop efore being able to start it again. The

valve commutator thus acts as a limit switch, and it is impossible for the operator to try to open the valve too far, as for either the full open or full closed position of the valve, circuit to the solenoid switch is opened and if the operator throws the knife switch in the wrong direction, circuit to the solenoid canpot be closed on any button of the indicatin,9

ever.

Assumin that the operator wishes to close the valve a ter it has been opened one quarter of its travel, the brush of the indicating lever would be on the button 38 and brush 19 of the'conunutator cross head would be on the contact button 24, the other brushes being on the contact bars 20, 21, and 22. In this position, with the knife switch thrown down, the solenoid switch circuit is not closed. due to thefact that the circuit to con tact 49 is opened and it will be necessary for the operator to move the indicating lever back to the button 37 to indicate the closed position of the valve in order to complete the solenoid circuit. When the indicating lever is so moved the circuit to the solenoid switch will be closed and the current will flow from the main 54 to terminal 29, through conductor 57, through the solenoid winding across the lam switch 58, through conductor 59,, to the indicatin lever 36. From this point the current wi 1 flow through the indicating lever to the button 37, through conductor 68 to the contact bar 21, thence through the brushes 17 and 16 to the contact bar 20, thence through the conductor 73, to terminal 52. From this point the current will flow throu h the knife switch blade to the terminal 53, t irough the conductor 67 to terminal 48, and thence to the opposite side 55 of the line. The solenoid switch circuit is thus closed and the winding energized to operate the switch to close the circuit to the motor field, and the knife switch being thrown down, the motor armature terminals will be reversed with reference to the lines; so that the motor will rotate in a direction posite to that before, and close the valve.

is motor circuit may now be traced from the main 54 to the terminal 29 of the solenoid switch across the bridge 28 to the terminal 30, thence through the conductor 60, through the motor series field, through conductor 61, to terminal 44 of the knife switch, through the knife switch blade to terminal 45, through the conductor 64', through the motor armature, through the conductor 63, to the terminal 46 ofv the knife switch. From here.

it will passthrou h the conductor 65, to the terminal 51, of t e'knife switch, across the switch blade to the'terminal 53,-through conductor 67 to the terminal 48 and thence to the opposite side of themain circuit. The motor will continue to-operate to close the valve until the brushes carried by the commutator cross head will have moved off the contact bars 20 and 21, when the circuit to the solenoid switch will be opened and the valve motor stopped.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, I have shown a modification whereby the motor is o erated in both-directions step by step. n this construction, the commutator bar 21 is replaced by four buttons 75, 76, 77, and 78. The buttons 76, 77 and 78 would be cross connected by conductors 79, 80 and 81, respectively, with the buttons 23, 24 and 25, respectively, and the button would be connected by the conductor 68 with the contact button 37. By this arrangement, the

operation of the device would be as follows:

Assuming that the commutator cross head is in its lowest position, corresponding to the closed position of the valve, and the indicating ever 36 is on contact button 37, to open the valve, it is necessary, as before, to throw the knife switch u and move the indicating lever to contact button 38 when the valve motor will be operated and the valve commutator cross head moved up to the button 24. If it is desired to open the valve fully, this operation would have to be gone through witi for the other buttons 39, 40, and 41. If it is desired to close the valve, the knife switch would be thrown down in the manner as previously described, and assumin that the operator has opened the valve fu l the indicating lever would be restin' on the contact button 41, and the cross head of the commutator will be at the top, the brushes 18 and 19 resting on the dead buttons at the top and the brushes 16 and 17 resting on the contact bar 20, and the contact button 78, respectively. To close the valve one quarter of its travel, therefore, the knife switch being thrown down, the indicating leverv 36 would be moved to the contact button 40 and the current would i then flow from the main 54 to the terminal 29, through the conductor 57, through the winding of the solenoid 27 across the lamp switch 58, through the conductor 59, to the indicating lever 36. From the indicating lever it would flow through the conductor 71 to'the.contact button 25, through the conductor 81 to the contact button 78,

through the brushes 17 and 16 to the contact bar 20, and from thence through the conductor 73 to the contact point 52, across the .knife'blade switch to the contact point 53,

through the conductor 67 to the contact-i20 point 48 and thence to the opposite side 55 of the supplymains. The solenoid switch is, therefore, closed and the motor will beoperated to close the valve until the cross head and the brush 17 will have been moved off the contact button 78. When this happens, the circuit to the solenoid switch is opened and the motor stopped and to continue to close the valve it will be. necessary tomove the indicating lever 36 over each of the remaining buttons 39, 38 and 37, allowin the motor to stop each time.

While I have described the preferred form of my invention, as having the commutator bar 20 of one piece, it will be readily seen that this bar may be made of separate buttons connected to one another, said buttons being also cross connected with the buttons 23, 24, 25, and 26, etc., and by this arrangement the motor controller may be changed from one form to the other ver readily b breaking the connections of the uttons wit the contact buttons 23, etc.

The construction, as herein set forth, it will be seen, automaticall stops the motor after the valve has reachet its predetermined point, and the indicating lever serves to indicate or show the exact position in which the valve ate stands. While have shown four, movements of the valve, and the corresponding buttons for these movements, it will be readily understood that I do not wish to limit myself to this number of movements, as an increase in the number of contact buttons, both for the indicating lever and for the commutator cross head would increase the number of movements the valve may have, and it is customary to have at least twenty move-- ments of the valve, thereby giving a greater control over the amount of fluid passing through said valve. 7

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of means for controllin the direction of operation thereof, means or operating the motor in successive periods of time throughout its range of operation, means for automatically stopping the motor at the end of each period, and means to prevent the operation of the motor for more than one period at a time. a

2. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of means for controlling the direction of operation of the same, means for dividing its operation into a number of stages, and means for preventing the operation of the motor for more than a single stage with a single operation of the controller and means to prevent more than one operation of the controller at a time.

3. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of manually operated means for controlling the direction of operation of the same, means for dividing the operation of the motor into stages, andmeans for insuring the stoppage of the motor at the end of each stage previous to again proceeding on 'Jthe succeeding stage.

4. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of a manually operated contact switch and an automatically operated switch for opening and closing the motor circuit, said switches being functionally connected to permit the operation of the manual switch only when the automatic switch is in a certain relation thereto.

5. Ina motor controller, the combination with a motor, of an electromagnetic switch for controllin the same and means operated at predetermined periods for operating said switch.

6. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of an electromagnetic switch for controllin the same, means operated at predetermined periods vfor operating said switch, and means for controlling the direction of operation of the motor..

7. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of a single switch for controllingthe circuit of the same, means for closing said switch, means for automatically opening the same when the motor has operated for a predetermined length of time and independently operated means for controlling the direction of operation of the motor.

8. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of means for operating the m0- tor in 'one direction for certain definite periods of time throughout its range of operation and for operating the motor continuously in a reverse'direction throughout its range of operation and independently operated means forcontrolling the direction of operation of the motor.

9. In amotor controller, the combination with a motor, of a switch for controlling said motor, means for closing said switch and means for automatically opening the same when the motor has operated for a predetermined period, said switch preventin a further operation of said first mentione means while it"is closed.

10. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of a switch for controlling the same, means for closing the switch, means for automaticall opening said switch a predetermined num er of times throughout the range of operation of the motor and independently operated means for controlling the direction'of operation of the motor.

11. .In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of an electrically operated switch for controlling the same, a manually operated switch for c osing the circuit to said switch to close the same, and an'automatically operated switch opening said circult when the motor has operated for a predetermined eriod.

12. n a motorcontroller, the combination with 'amotor, of an electrically operated switch vfor controlling the same, a movable member for closing the circuit to said switch to close the same, means for automatically opening said circuit when the motor has operated for a predetermined period, and

5 with a 1notor,of a switch for controlling the same, means for closing said switch a predetermined number of times throughout the range of operation of'the motor, means for automatically opening the same after the motor has operated for a predetermined period and.independently operated means or controlling the direction of operation ofthe motor.

14. In a motor controller, the combination. with a motor, of an electromagnetic switch for controlling the same, means for closing the same a'predetermined number of times throughout the range of operation of the 'motor, and means for automaticallyopening mentioned means.

15. In a motor controller, the combination with a motor, of an electromagnetic switch for controlling the same, means for closing autoelectrically operated s itch, for controlling the same, means for c said switch a number (of times throughout the ran e of operation bf the motor, means operate by said valve for automatically openi the circuit to said switch when the motor as operated for-a predetermined eriod, and means for controlling the direction of said motor. 1 17. In a motor.cohtroller,:.the combination with a motor, at a; valve driven thereby, an electrically operated switch L'for controlling said motor, a lever for closing the circuit to said switch, a redetermined number of times throughout tiie range of operation of the motor, means operated .by said valve for openin the circuit to the switch after the motor as operated for a redetermined eriod, and means for contro lin the direction of operation of the motor, said lever also indicatin theposition of the valve.

18. valve driven thereb an electrically operated switch for controlling said motor, a lever for closi' 'thecircuit to said switch a predetermine number of times throughout the range of operationof the motor,a switch operated b said valve for opening the circuit to said el ectrically operated switch after the motor has operated for a predetermined period and a reversing switch-for controlling the direction of o oration of the motor. f

19. T e combination with a motor, of a valve operated thereb an electrically operated switch for controlling said motor, a lever the same after each operation of'said. first said switch, and means operated by the sing the circuit to,

e combination wifha motor, of av adapted to sweep over a series of contacts for ClOSl the circuit to said switch a predetermine number of times throughout the range of o 'eration of the motor, a switch for control mg the direction of operation of the motor, and a commutator operatedby said valve and adapted topass over one set of contacts electrically connected with said first mentioned contacts, and over a second set of contacts electrically connected with said direction controlling switch.

1' 20. The combination-with a motor, of a valve driven thereby, an electrically operated switch for controlling said mo tor, a lever for closing the circuit tosaid switch a predetermined number of times throughout the r e of operation of said motor, means operate by said valvefor opening the circuit to said switch after the motor has ofperated for a predetermined period, means or controlli the direction of operation of the motor, an means 0 erated by said electrically operated switch or preventing the movement of said lever while the motor is in operation.

21. In a system for controlling the operation of motors, in combination, a motor, a double throw switch for controlling the direction of operation of the motor, a solenoid switch for'closing the circuit,,,t o,the motor, an indicating lever in seriesiin the solenoid circuit, and movable tocon't act points electricall connected to contacts on a commutator, a brushon said commutator operatively, connected to the motor, to move onandofi of the contact points on 'said commutator to ,make and break the circuit throu h the solenoid switch, and means operate solenoid switch to lock said indicating lever by said in position.

. 22. In a system for controlling the operation of motors, in combination, a motor, a

switch for controlling the direction of operation of the motor, a solenoid switch for closmg the motor circuit, a commutator consisting of contact, plates and points and a brush moved over the same by means connected to the motor, an indicating lever movable to contact points electrically connected to the contact points on the commutator to close the solenoid switch circuit through the brush on said commutator, and locking means forv said indicating lever operated by 1 said solenoid switch.

23. In a system for controlling the operation of motors, in combination, a motor, a switch for controlling the direction of operation of the motor, a solenoid switch for closing the circuit to the motor, means for closing the circuit to the solenoid switch at regular intervals for definite periods, while the motor is operatin in one direction, and means for c osing the circuit to the solenoid switch continuously while the motor is operating in the opposite direction.

24. In a system for controlling the operation of motors, in combination, a motor, a double throw switch to control the direction of operation of the motor, a solenoid switch for closing the circuit through the motor, an indicating lever in series in the circuit through said solenoid switch and movable to contact points electrically connected to a commutator, to close the circuit to the solenoid switch through said commutator, and means carried by the solenoid switch adapted to engage with the indicatinglevento lock it in position when the motor circuit is closed.

25. In a system for controlling the operation of a motor, in combination, a motor, a switch for controllin the direction of operation of the motor, a so enoid switch for making and breaking the circuit to the motor, means for making and breaking the circuit through the solenoid switch at successive stages in operating the motor in one or both directions, and means carried by the solenoid switch for lockin the system when the circuit through the soIenoid switch is made.

26. In a system for controlling the operation of motors, in combination, a motor, a switch for controlling the direction of operation of the motor, a solenoid switch for making and breaking the circuit to the motor, an indicating lever in series in the solenoid switch circuit and movable to contact points, an arrangement of circuits connecting said contact oints with means by which the circuit to t e solenoid switch may be closed for predetermined periods and broken after that eriod on the movement of the indicating ever to the successive contact points, and means for locking the system while the circuit through the solenoid switch is closed,

27 The combination with a motor, of a valve driven thereby, a switch for controlling the direction of operation of the motor, a solenoid switch for closin the motor circuit, an indicating lever movab le to contact points electrically connected to contact points on a commutator, a brush for said commutator operatively connected to said valve and adapted-to close the circuit to the solenoid switch for predetermined periods, only on the movement of the indicating lever to the successive contact points, to operate the motor to drive the valve in one direction, in stages, throughout its ran e of movement in that direction, means for eeping the circuit to the motor closed to drive the valve continuously in the opposite direction for any part or all of its range of movement in that direction, and means for locking the indicatin lever in position while the circuit to the so enoid switch is closed.

28. In a system for controlling the operation of motors, the combination of a motor, a

means for setting the motor for a definite range of o ieration, means for automatically stopping t e motor after it passes its range of operation, means for controlling the direction of operation of the motor, and means for electrically interlocking the system to prevent the motor from being operated in the wrong direction when set for operation through a predetermined range.

29. In a system for operating motors, the combination with a motor, of means for setting the motor for a definite range of operation, means for automatically stopping the motor after it has passed through the range of operation for ,which it is set, and means for settingthe motor for operation in either direction, said means being'interlocked with the other elements of the system to prevent the motor from being started in a wrong direction when set for operation through a predetermined range.

30. In a system for controlling electric motors, the combination with a motor, of means for setting the motor for indefinite range of operation; means for automatically stopping the motor after it has passed through the range of operation for which it is set, means for setting the motor to operate in either direction, and means for electrically interlocking the elements of the system to prevent. the motor from being operated in the wrong direction when set for operation through a predetermined range.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS It. BARNUM. fv itnessesz WALTER E. SARGENT, S. S. HOPKINS. 

